il2_specs
Roland C.IIa
Beschreibung
One of the most original trends of thought in aircraft design during 1915 was seen in the L.F.G. Roland C.II, which had been evolved by Dipl. Ing. Tantzen, who had recently joined Luftfahrzeug Gesellschaft as a design engineer. Tantzens ambition was to present a drastically cleaned-up airframe, eliminating as much as possible of the “built-in” drag of interplane, center section strut arrangements and attendant bracing. Streamlined design of fuselage, thin wings profile resulted in great performance for its time: it was one of the fastest airplanes at front able to outrun any enemy fighter plane.
Upper wing was placed on the top edge of fuselage providing great forward and up view for the pilot. But due to its wide oval fuselage and pilot position towards the back, it was a very unforgiving airplane to land: very few pilots which flew this airplane did not crash or damage it during landing. In time, some minor modifications where added, such as forward firing gun for the pilot, internal wings structire change and ailerons controls moved into upper wing with addition of a control rod instead of cables in the lower wing on early machines. Also wing trailing edge wire was replaced with wooden stringer. New version became Roland C.IIa: first prototype powered by Mercedes D.III engine flew October 25-26 of 1915, and on December 23, 1915 the first production order for 50 machines was placed.
C.IIs began to equip the Fl. Abt. units for reconnaissance and also for escort duties by the beginning of 1916. Usually the reconnaissance machines were armed only with a Parabellum gun for the observer and had a radio transmitter, later on a forward-firing Spandau gun was added and some later machines were able to carry bombs on the external rack under the fuselage.
Because of its performance the aircraft was often used as a strategic reconnaissance airplane able to perform deep flights into an enemy territory - Allied airplanes couldn\t catch it. Later, when Allies intruduced faster fighters, Rolands where used in close support and reconnaissance roles and slowly where withdrawn from the frontline units by June of 1917 and transferred into traning units. Rolands where built by LFG Roland and Linke-Hofmann by license agreement. Assuming all orders where completed, LFG Roland built 139 C.II airplanes and 168 C.IIa variants where built by both manufacturers.
Triebwerk:
Mercedes D.III 6—Zyl. flüssigkeitsgekühler Reihenmotor, 162 hp
Abmessung
Hohe: 2860 mm
Lange: 7700 mm
Spannweite: 10300 mm
Flugelflache: 29 sq.m
Gewicht
Leer: 714 kg
Startgewicht: 1226 kg
Treibstoffkapazität: 259 l
Ölkapazität: 35 l
Fluggeschwindigkeit (IAS, km/h):
Meeresspiegel - 165 km/h
1000 m - 157 km/h
2000 m - 149 km/h
3000 m - 140 km/h
4000 m - 131 km/h
5000 m - 118 km/h
Steigzeit:
1000 m - 5 min. 58 sec.
2000 m - 14 min. 45 sec.
3000 m - 29 min. 32 sec.
Dienstgipfelhöhe: 5250 m
Flugzeit: 5 h. 0 min.
Bewaffnung
Starre Bewaffnung nach vorne: 1 x LMG 08/15 Spandau 7,92mm, 1 Gurt mit 500 Schuss.
Heckschützenposition: 1 x LMG 14/17 Parabellum 7,92mm, 4 Boxen mit je 250 Schuss.
Bombenzuladungsmöglichkeiten:
4 x 12.5 kg (50 kg)
1 x 50 kg
Maximale Zuladung 50 kg
References
1) Schlachtflieger by Rick Duiven, Dan-San Abbott.
2) Windsock Datafile 49 LFG Roland C.II by P.M. Grosz.
Änderungen
Aldis (Trophäe)
Aldis Teleskopvisier
Zusätzliches Gewicht: 2 kg
20mm Becker Turret
Turret with Becker Automatic Cannon
Ammo: 60 of 20mm rounds (4 magazines with 15 rounds in each)
Ammo type: HE/AP (High Explosive and Armour Piercing rounds)
Rate of fire: 300 rpm
Projectile weight: 120/130 g
Muzzle velocity: 450/490 m/s
Gun weight: 30 kg
Mount weight: 10 kg
Ammunition total weight: 25 kg
Total weight: 65 kg
Estimated speed loss: 6 km/h
Bomben, Typ P.u.W.
4 x Splitterbomben 12.5 kg P.u.W
Zusätzliches Gewicht: 62 kg
Gewicht der Munition: 50 kg
Gewicht der Abwurfwaffenroste: 12 kg
Geschwindigkeitsverlust vor Abwurf: 4 km/h
Geschwindigkeitsverlust nach Abwurf: 2 km/h
1 x Splitterbomben 50 kg P.u.W
Zusätzliches Gewicht: 62 kg
Gewicht der Munition: 50 kg
Gewicht der Abwurfwaffenroste: 12 kg
Geschwindigkeitsverlust vor Abwurf: 4 km/h
Geschwindigkeitsverlust nach Abwurf: 2 km/h
Uhr
Taschenuhr
Zusätzliches Gewicht: 1 kg
Instrumentenlicht
Glühlampe zum Beleuchten des Instrumentenbrettes bei Nachteinsätzen
Zusätzliches Gewicht: 1 kg
Zusätzliche Anzeigen
Wilhelm Morell Anemometer (45-250 km/h)
Wilhelm Morell kompensierter Höhenmesser (0-5000 m)
A.Schlegelmilch Kühlwasserthermometer (0-100 °C)
Zusätzliches Gewicht: 3 kg
Kamera
Kamera zum Aufnehmen von Luftbildern
Zusätzliches Gewicht: 10 kg
Funkgerät
Funkgerät
Zusätzliches Gewicht: 10 kg
Twin Parabellum MG Turret
Ring turret with twin Parabellum machine guns.
Ammo: 2000 of 7.92mm rounds (8 drums with 250 rounds in each)
Projectile weight: 10 g
Muzzle velocity: 825 m/s
Rate of fire: 700 rpm
Guns weight: 19 kg (w/o ammo drums)
Mount weight: 5 kg
Ammo weight: 40 kg
Total weight: 64 kg